green water

Are Pond Algae Blooms Dangerous?

AP Algae Bloom 658x372

It’s impossible these days to go through an entire summer without hearing of some warning about a pond with algae in it. Often the title might say something like “Toxic Algae Found In Lake” or something similar.

Just this week two new articles came out, one from Kansas, and one from Long Island New York, with warnings that people, pets, and livestock should avoid ponds that are covered with green algae, or if the water is tinted green (blue-green, bown, and even red.) In the New York case, a pet died after drinking from the pond.

So the question came up about just how dangerous any pond with algae might be and what to watch out for concerning the “toxic outbreaks” that always seem to make the news.

You might recall an article I wrote a year or two ago about this very subject. You can read that one here. My attempt in that installment was to try and ease concerns a little bit but in doing so, I don’t want to minimize this issue either.

UV Clarifiers And Sterilizers For Your Green Water Problem

By Mark

Planktonic algae02

Green water in a pond is one stubborn critter sometimes.

It’s not really unusual to have this type of pond algae crop up and bloom once the days get a little warmer and sun shines a bit brighter in the spring or summer. And unfortunately for the small pond owner who’s plagued by it, their first reaction is often to drain all the water out of the pond, clean things up and then start over. But that’s not usually a good idea because the green water usually comes back very quickly.

Green water is caused by many individual single cell algae of various species. They tend be very quick to bloom and multiply and they respond very favorably to sun exposure. The rays of light really ramp them up.

So I guess the next question is, are there better options than draining the pond and starting over? You bet there is, and we’ll cover a few good ways to deal with this type of algae right here.

Stacking The Odds Against Pond Algae – The Introduction

By Mark

Over the years, the use of beneficial bacteria in ponds has helped to clear up, clean up, and restore a number of ponds, and in doing so, algae has been reduced too. This has been one of the positive “side effects” of treating a pond naturally or organically.

Compared to even 10 years ago, the use of the good bugs has grown to the point where most pond owners have at least heard of some of the benefits, whether they may believe in it or not is another thing. Suffice it to say though that the commonly used chemical algaecides, so widely used in the past, are not as favorable as they once were.

There is a growing awareness (which is a good thing) that oftentimes chemicals are not the best solution to the problem, and that addressing some underlying causes may just make more sense. It’s not just in ponds where this is happening of course. Home owners are looking for more natural alternatives for lawn care, pest control, and many other things. Go to any WalMart today and you’ll find some organic produce too, which you never would have imagined seeing “back in the old days”. Sam Walton would probably be proud.
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Does Green Water Hurt Fish?

By Mark

One of the most common questions we get about algae of any kind, concerns green water and whether this very common problem is actually harmful to fish.

It would make sense to say that this issue of clarity in any size of pond is really annoying to the pond’s owner. What may have once been a pristine and clear body of water, sometimes turns into a pea green soup overnight.

Green water in ponds, in case you don’t know, is actually created by very small, single cell algae that multiply out to the point where the water may become tinted slightly to the other end of the spectrum where you can’t see an inch down into the pond.

Like algae algae, these little fellow love sunlight and they derive a lot of energy from photosynthesis. Some of them even rise and fall during a 24 hour cycle. In the morning and throughout the day, they rise to the surface to soak in some rays, and at night they fall back down to the lower parts of the pond.
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Pond Shading Options For Limiting Green Water Algae

By Mark

I have to admit, sunny days make me happier.

But everything comes with a price they say, and sometimes the price you pay for ample sunlight is pond algae.

In the case of green water, which is caused by numerous single cell algae, the sun can play a major role in it’s growth.

After visiting with many pond owners over the years, when we get calls about green water, one of the common questions we’ll ask is, “does the pond get a lot of sun exposure?” The inevitable answer is almost always, “yes”. Other pond owners that had several ponds were often quick to point out that the ponds in some shade, were often clearer, and the pond’s in the sun were quite green.

Now don’t get me wrong, you want your pond to be exposed to a bit of sun…that’s just a good thing for desirable plants and your fish too, but too much of a good thing can often cause some problems.
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Ultra Violet Filtration vs. UltraSonic Algae Control – Technologies Compete

By Mark

There’s no question that emerging technology over the last few decades as helped pond owners create better looking ponds. Unfortunately along with all of these advances comes the inevitable confusion of what’s best for a particular pond situation.

Today I want to address two very useful tools in pond algae control, and cover their benefits along with their drawbacks in relation to one another. One has been around for a good number of years, and the other is emerging as one of the most useful tools for any size of pond.

More specifically, looking at the merits of UV filters and Ultrasound might help clear up some confusion, and a few ponds along the way, both of which are good things.

Let’s cover ultra violet filtration first.

UV filtration works by using ultra violet light to damage the cell membrane of the algae. Usually this light is housed in a tubular structure that is placed in line where water will pass through the filter and be exposed to the light.

The strength and primary benefit of a UV filter is the control of planktonic algae or green water issues. It also helps to minimize viruses that may affect fish populations. Unfortunately because other types of algae can’t pass through the filter itself, things like string algae, or pond scum will be left unaffected. With this in mind, it’s essential that a UV filter not be the only method of filtration in your pond. They can work in conjunction with a good bio-filter and between the two systems it should cover a pond’s filtration needs quite well.

A UV filter works best by having the proper size of filter for your pond’s needs and the proper flow rate of the water passing through it. Ideally you want to allow the pond’s volume of water to pass through the filter multiple times and have the UV light gradually affect the water through these numerous exposures. Issues like “dirty water” or inadequate filter size for a pond’s volume will reduce it’s effectiveness.

UV filters are relatively affordable when compared to other forms of filtration. There is the need to replace the bulbs, usually on a yearly basis is recommended, but other than that there shouldn’t be any residual costs.

So, all in all, if you have an ongoing problem with green water in your pond, ultra violet filtration can be a useful tool. It’s not an overly expensive option to add to a small pond, however the cost goes up as the pond gets larger. It’s important to remember that to get the best results, you want to install a filter that is more than adequate for your pond’s size and needs. UV light will not clear all types of dirty or murky water unless it’s coming from an algae problem, and it will not work with all types of algae you may have to deal with in your pond.

Now on to ultrasonic algae control.

Like UV systems, ultrasound has been used in a variety of industries and applications for a number of years. Sonic algae control began about ten years ago in Europe and over that time, it was inevitable that this technology would make it’s way into ponds and water gardens.

Also like UV, ultrasound works to damage or rupture the cell membrane of the algae and the simplest way to look at the process is to compare how an opera singer can literally break a crystal goblet with her voice. When the resonating frequency hits the perfect pitch the crystal shatters into pieces. Ultrasound can be targeted in the same way towards algae. When the frequency is modulated and tuned very specifically it can travel through the water and break the membrane of the algae cell.

One advantage of sonic algae control is that it can work on a variety of algae types. Green water issues can be controlled pretty quickly, usually in a matter of days. Mass types of algae such as string algae, will take longer to eradicate, but over time, the algae gets reduced and has a much harder time to develop and take off once it’s brought under control.

Ultrasound has proven to be very safe for fish and it’s easy to install into a pond. Installation might not even be right best word to describe it. One simply plugs the control box into a power supply and drops the transducer or ultrasound emitter into the water and your treatment is underway.

Ultrasonic systems can work in most sizes of ponds. There are units designed for small backyard water gardens and others which work in larger ponds and lakes.

In a cost comparison with UV, ultrasound is more costly for smaller ponds. However as the ponds get larger, ultrasonic units become more and more affordable in comparison. For example the largest sonic system available will treat a multi-acre lake and cost around $3,000. Similar UV systems to treat the same body of water may run more than ten times as much in cost!

Another potential benefit of ultrasounds is unlike UV, the ultrasonic wave will not hinder or harm beneficial bacteria in the pond. This element (bacteria) does a great deal of the legwork in terms of cleaning and balancing a pond. Ultrasound can actually help stimulate or ramp up the vitality of the existing useful bacteria which is a very positive thing in terms of overall pond health.

It should be noted that neither system will provide increased oxygen levels in a pond. Only some form of aeration can do that, but on a positive note, both treatments will work well right along with an aeration program.

So in the end, how do these two technologies stack up with one another? How do you decide which one will work best for your needs?

To be sure, if you have a small pond, say anything less than 6,000 gallons, and green water is your only problem, then ultra violet clarification makes a lot of sense. It’s considerably cheaper than ultrasound and will often take care of planktonic algae when the filter is set up properly.

If you have a small pond with a variety of algae issues, then ultrasound would tend to be a more viable option since it can take care of a wider variety of algae species. If the price is too out of line for your budget, then the use of a beneficial bacteria supplement may help reduce algae growth in all it’s varieties at a much lower cost.

As one moves into larger ponds, or those greater than 6,000 gallons, the cost of UV will climb, making ultrasound look more attractive for treating large bodies of water. Due to the fact that it treats many types of algae and helps bacteria perform better, it becomes even a stronger candidate for larger ponds.

Installation of UV often involves installing it inline with the current pump and filter system. Therefore some degree of handy work will be involved in getting the system operational. As for ultrasound, the pond owner simply has to plug the unit in, preferably mount the control panel, and drop the emitter into the pond. So if you’re into the “plug and play” routine, ultrasound would win out on this count.

As pond owners we’re fortunate to have all of this great technology at our disposal. If algae in one form or another is the main issue plaguing your pond, be sure to do a bit of research into both of these treatment options and ultimately you’re sure to find the best one to suit your situation to a tee.